


pick me up at eight (and don't be late)

by jubileus



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1950s, Angst, Derogatory Language, Emotional Infidelity, Historical Inaccuracies, Infidelity, M/M, Profanity, also prostitution but its not really a prostitution fic?? anyway, asshole!erwin, dilf!erwin, seriously erwin's a piece of shit in this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-23
Updated: 2014-07-26
Packaged: 2018-01-20 11:47:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1509359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jubileus/pseuds/jubileus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erwin is a man who rarely fought against temptation. 1950s AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. i

**Author's Note:**

> this came about bc i couldn't get the image of 1950s dad!erwin watering his lawn in a golf shirt and sunglasses out of my head. then i added eruri and a ton of angst and came up with this. updates will be sporadic bc this fic is becoming more than i intended (the car scene was initially three paragraphs, wtf).
> 
> srs notes:  
> \+ setting is vaguely inspired by late 1950s america. i've been researching for weeks but its still probably super obvi that i know nothing about the time frame haha  
> \+ levi is referred to as a boy for most of this chapter bc it's mostly from erwin's POV; that won't be the case for the rest of the story bc erwin finds out his age at the end of the chapter. whoops spoilers  
> \+ possibly sad ending??? idk idk  
> \+ also unbeta'd. yikes!
> 
> anyways enjoy

_funny, you're a stranger who's come here_

_come from another town_

_funny, i'm a stranger myself here_

_small world, isn't it?_

-Johnny Mathis, "Small World"

* * *

\- x -

It’s a sunny Wednesday morning, and there’s an interesting astronomy piece in the Stohess Times today. Erwin Smith is seated at the dinette table in his sunny, pastel-colored kitchen, so completely engrossed in the article that he doesn’t notice when his wife sets a neat, steaming pile of pancakes on the table in front of him _._  

Anka clears her throat modestly; when he still doesn’t look up, she coughs loudly. “Your breakfast, dear.”

Erwin reaches for the syrup without taking his eyes off of the paper. “Thank you, Anka.”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake—“ She rounds the table and forcefully lowers his newspaper. Erwin frowns; he hates it when she does that. There's an admonishment on the tip of his tongue, but he glances toward the table first to see just what was so terribly important. 

A stack of golden-brown pancakes, lovingly cut out into different heart shapes, lie innocently on the table before him. _Ah, so that's what it is_. Erwin thinks, apologetically casting his eyes up to his wife’s. Anka wants recognition for her creative efforts, despite the fact that the shape of the pancakes have no bearing on their taste. Erwin sighs internally; externally, he gifts his wife with a charming smile.

"They look lovely, darling." He folds up the newspaper and places it aside; making sure the article is still facing upwards. "I'm sorry for not noticing."

Beaming, Anka returns to the counter to finish assembling the lunches. Erwin starts in on the pancakes, studying the article out of the corner of his eye.

There’s a rapid pounding down the stairs, and Erwin glances up sharply towards the entryway to the kitchen. Two seconds later, an excited five-year-old boy slides into the room, heading straight for the counter where his mother is standing. “Mommy, mommy! Did you make pancakes this morning?”

Erwin sets his fork down before Anka can answer. “Ian.”

“Yes, father?” The boy says carelessly, trying to stand on the tips of his toes to catch a glimpse of his breakfast.

“We do not _run_ down the stairs.” Erwin’s voice is stern. “Go back to your room and come down again." 

“But, father—“

“Shh, Ian.” Anka places a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Do as your father says.”

Once the boy sulks back downstairs, Anka gives him his breakfast as well. Ian whoops excitedly at the tiny shapes his own breakfast is cut into, and Anka watches him fondly as he digs in, a mug of coffee in her hand. She takes a seat at the table as well, directing her attention towards Erwin once more.

“Will you be home in time for dinner, dear? …Erwin.”

Once again, Erwin has immersed himself in the newspaper. He bites back a peevish response, wishing he could just finish reading in peace. “I’m afraid not. I’m meeting the boys at the alley tonight. There’s a big tournament.”

“Oh, yes. I had forgotten.” Anka reaches across the table and places her hand on his. Her chestnut-brown hair glints fetchingly in the morning sunlight. She gives him a kind smile. “Good luck, sweetheart. We’ll be rooting for you.”

“Thank you.” There is no need for such meaningless well wishing; Erwin is one of the best bowlers in the neighborhood, and luck has nothing to do with his talent. Still, he smiles at his wife and thanks her for her support.

Erwin finishes the article and his breakfast on time (as always), then stands and heads for the foyer. Anka clears the table, shooing Ian to the first floor bathroom so he can wash up after eating. The baby starts to cry as soon as she finishes placing the dishes in the sink, but she manages to dry her hands, scoop up the girl, put a pacifier in her mouth, and smooth down Ian’s hair when he returns all before Erwin is finished shrugging on his jacket. They stand with him at the doorway, and he kisses them in order; first his wife, and then baby Rose. Ian gets a firm clap on the shoulder. They wave goodbye as he gets into his car, a shiny new Mercedes purchased only a few weeks earlier.  

On his way out of the driveway, Erwin almost knocks into Nile, his next-door neighbor. The dark haired man is in the process of trying to fix his tie and cram a bagel into his mouth at the same time, and doesn’t notice Erwin backing up until he hears the screech of tires. He is so startled by the noise that he ends up dropping his bagel anyway.

Erwin sticks his head out of the window, offering Nile a friendly wave. "Sorry about that!" He calls, backing up enough so he can pull out onto the street alongside Nile. “You seem to be in a hurry, Nile. Is everything alright?”

"My car's in the shop.” Nile eyes Erwin's new Mercedes with obvious envy. “I've got to catch the bus to get to work and I'm already running late."

"Well, why don't I drop you off at the bus stop?" Erwin offers with a friendly smile. “It'll be quicker."

"No thanks. I don’t want to get crumbs on your upholstery." Nile scurries off before Erwin can remind him that his bagel is on Erwin’s lawn.

The blond shrugs, then switches on the radio and drives to work.

* * *

\- x -

 

Erwin Smith is a man envied by all.

Intelligent, handsome, and charming with a high-paying job and a beautiful wife, Erwin is the envy of most of the men he came across. He is a leader when it comes to community involvement, and is often approached by local politicians when they needed an opinion or an endorsement. He's a volunteer fire fighter, and plays on a few local sports teams, in order to keep his body in top physical condition. Erwin is even a good archrival to his neighbor Nile, maintaining a balance of ostentation and humility that irritates the other man to no end.

On an average day like today, Erwin arrives at work at 8:30 on the dot. He pulls into his reserved space and shuts the car off. After allowing himself a brief moment to check his appearance, he exits the car and enters the building.

The receptionist greets him with a sultry smile. “Good morning, Mr. Smith.”

“Morning, sweetheart.” Erwin breezes past her. She purrs at the familiar address, not realizing that he still hasn’t bothered to learn her name after three months.

He is greeted heartily by some of his coworkers in the elevator, and he returns it with matching enthusiasm. Casual chatter fills the small space until they reach the top floor, where they all head towards their separate cubicles—except for Erwin, who heads towards his corner office. His second cup of coffee, provided by his secretary, is waiting for him on his desk. He hangs up his jacket, settles down behind the desk, and then gets to work.

Throughout the day, he makes important phone calls. He attends important meetings. He lets his secretary flirt with him for a bit, runs his hand along her thigh to remind the others that he can do this, he is powerful and desirable because of all of the wonderful privileges life has given him. He barks orders at his subordinates, and they obey without question, each one knowing that having an in with such an influential man was more valuable than their dignity. Nearly the entire office fell over themselves to please him; hoping that one day it would be them giving orders from the corner office.

At noon, he eats his lunch alone.

Afterwards, the rest of the day is spent sending important letters, signing a few important contracts. When the clock on his desk strikes five, Erwin puts everything into his briefcase, slings his jacket over his arm, and exits the building, extending pleasant goodbyes to everyone.

He sits alone in his car for several minutes. The bowling tournament doesn’t start until seven, and he’s not sure what he should do to fill the time. Returning home is out of the question; he doesn't want to hear Anka talk about her day, nor does he want to hear Ian prattle on about whatever meaningless art project he completed at school.

He thinks briefly of his daughter, unusually serious for an infant; yet she always seemed to brighten up whenever Erwin was around. He feels something pull at his heart when he realizes that he hasn’t picked her up in days; but he’s a _busy person_ , he rationalizes, and such things really weren’t that important. Coddling a child, immediately responding to their needs—it would make them weak, leave them unprepared for their later lives. That’s what Erwin’s own father had taught him, quiet early on. Life doesn’t give you everything you want, and Erwin knows that all too well. 

But that doesn’t mean he can’t get _most_ of those things.

After a few more minutes of idling, Erwin decides to stop by his favorite diner before heading over to the bowling alley. Pulling out of the parking garage, he turns west and drives off in the direction opposite his house, towards the sunset.

He’s waiting at an intersection when he notices them.

Three figures—they look to be teenagers—are posted at the corner on the next block up, waving down cars. One of them—the only girl, it appears—is holding up a large white sign, jumping up and down excitedly.

The light turns green and Erwin drives up casually, anticipating the trio’s approach. He isn’t wrong; the girl’s eyes widen at the sleek appearance of his Mercedes, and she actually gets off of the curb and into the street to get his attention.

“Hey, Mister! You want your car washed?” She asks excitedly, pushing the sign up close to Erwin’s windshield. She’s wearing a short skirt and her midriff is bared, presumably to attract the attention of male drivers. “Only ten cents!”

Erwin is unimpressed by her vivid red hair and her flat stomach. He’s about to tell her that he had gotten his car washed just yesterday afternoon (which is true) when he catches sight of her companions—or rather, one of them.

The one that is standing, a tall blond with dusty blond hair and bright blue eyes, is eyeing his car with obvious interest. He isn’t quite as noticeable as the third teen-- a dark-haired boy seated on the curb, wringing out a sponge into a bucket, a dark grimace on his face. Despite his frown, Erwin is struck by the curve of his lips.

Erwin stares, unconsciously tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

The blond nudges his friend with his knee, and he looks up, noticing the car for the first time. His hair is buzzed at the sides and around the back, and Erwin wants to feel it under his fingers. He takes in the rest of the boy, and finds him to his liking; slim legs in dark pants, a slightly wet white collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up high on his arms. Erwin can see parts of his skin where the water has soaked through and it makes his breath catch.

The seated male’s gaze sweeps over the grill of the car, then the tires, and finally up to it’s driver. His eyes are steely grey and intensely hooded, and Erwin finds himself entranced. The male looks away with disinterest, but Erwin has already made up his mind.

He gets ahold of himself, looks to the girl and smiles at her. “Of course. It’s nice to see young people being entrepreneurial, these days.”

The girl whoops and tosses her sign on the ground. “Great! Just pull up into the lot, we’ll set you up.”

Her two companions look surprised when he follows her directions—they probably weren’t expecting him to agree to let a bunch of kids wash down such an expensive car. But Erwin can't say no. He can’t drive off without getting the boy’s name, at least.

He parks his car and gets out, taking care to remove the keys and placing them safely into his pocket. He has barely stepped back before the trio gets to work, surprisingly efficient for a group of kids. Erwin watches as the blond touches his car reverently, and after it’s hosed down he begins soaping it up carefully, as if it were his own.

“…Heading east, trying to save up…” The redheaded girl chatters excitedly as she cleans. “…We need a lot of money but everyone here’s been real nice so far…”

Erwin is only listening enough to offer her appropriate responses. He can hardly keep his eyes off of the dark-haired teen. The boy is crouched down, running a rag over one of Erwin’s tires, fully engaged in his task. Erwin wants him to look up again, but he is unsure of how to grab his attention without attracting the others. Frustration starts to build up within him, as it always does when he can’t immediately figure out the solution to a problem. 

The parking lot is beside a gas station, and after about ten or so minutes, Erwin decides to go inside and grab a pack of cigarettes. Next to the checkout counter he spots a fridge full of sodas; he decides to grab three as well, and takes them outside. Hopefully he can find an opening to talk to the young male when they took a break.

As luck would have it, the boy comes to him. Once outside, Erwin settles down onto a cement parking block, places the cokes down and pulls out the pack of cigarettes. He closes his eyes as he lights one up, and when he re-opens them, the boy is in front of him.

 _Lazy,_ Erwin thinks, glancing over at his car and finding the other two still laboring intensely. The boy’s poor work ethic is a blessing for Erwin, however, and he savors the lean line of his body as he looks up to meet his eyes.

“Hey, mister.” The shorter male says, and his voice is surprisingly low—and contemptuous. Erwin is thrown by it. “Can I get one of those?”

“Sure.” Erwin responds easily, a kind smile on his face. He gestures to the beverages bundled together on his right. “Help yourself.”

A scowl passes over the boy’s already-pinched face. Erwin still finds it attractive; he watches, cigarette slanted across his lower lip, as the boy rolls his eyes and gestures to his mouth.

“No, idiot. A smoke.”

Erwin blinks, his eyebrows furrowing at the boy’s comment. Erwin is unused to being called an idiot, period—but to hear it from someone he just met was _absurd_ , especially in this town. He finds himself at a loss for words, unsure if he should admonish the boy—or if he even wanted to.

Apparently he is taking too long, because the next thing Erwin knows, the boy is lowering himself onto the block next to him, pressing close to Erwin’s side. His skin is warm, presumably from being in the sun all afternoon. He smells freshly of sweat, clean and slightly heady.

Erwin can’t do anything but pass him a cigarette, and truthfully, he would have given the boy his keys if he asked. But still, Erwin’s pride is on the line, so he says, “That’s not really a nice way to treat a customer, you know.”

The dark-haired male laughs as he takes the cigarette, entirely derisive. “Izzat so?” He says. Then, “You got a light or what?”

Again, Erwin doesn’t know what to say; so he fishes around in his pocket for his lighter before pulling it out and offering it to the other male.

Instead of taking it from him, the boy casts his eyes upwards deliberately, tapping on the cigarette resting between his downturned lips. Erwin gets the hint, and brings the flame up between them; the boy leans in and lets Erwin light his cigarette.

Erwin is suddenly struck by the beauty of the moment; the boy, face illuminated by the small flame. The sun is setting gorgeously behind the kid’s back, but steely eyes are fixed onto his, hooded and haunted and entire captivating. For a second Erwin can’t breath; so he just sits there, holding the lighter, caught between time and space and the tiny flicker dancing in the boy’s eyes.

“What’s your name?” Erwin blurts as he watches the boy inhale deeply from the cigarette, eyes closing as his chin tilts back. Waiting for him to exhale feels like an eternity, but finally the smaller male blows the smoke out in front of him, glancing at Erwin out of the corner of his eye.

“Levi. And before you say anything, my ankle’s broke.” And then he lifts the hem of his pants just a little bit, revealing a bandage wrapped around his left ankle. Erwin wants to touch it, see if it makes the boy— _Levi_ \-- gasp. “I’m not supposed to stay on it for too long.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything.” But Erwin is surprised, all the same. And a little suspicious as well, since it seemed as if the boy had moved unusually quickly to join him at the parking block. He wouldn’t put it past a couple of strange drifter kids to fake an injury for sympathy.

Still, Erwin has finally learned his name, and he turns it over in his head a few times. Levi. _Levi_.

“Levi.” He says it out loud for the first time, and it feels right on his tongue. Erwin wants to be the only person to ever say his name. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Erwin Smith.”

Levi doesn’t seem like he would accept a handshake, which works out well enough because Erwin’s palms are unusually sweaty. Levi makes a noise of acknowledgement, but the sunset to his left has finally caught his attention, and he’s turned away. Erwin takes in the definition of his jaw; it looks a little too sharp to be that of an adolescent. His eyes follow the line of Levi’s throat, his adam’s apple, his clavicle visible beneath his open collar. There’s been desire welling up within him ever since he saw the boy (young man?), but now, sitting closely beside him, it evolves into something that he can barely control. He feels intensely on edge, all because of the skinny male sharing a seat with him. It’s a strange, uncomfortable feeling.

“So. How did you break your ankle?” Erwin asks, tearing his gaze from the boy’s neck, lest he lean forward and press his lips to it. The boy turns his attention back around.

“I’ll tell you for another cigarette.” Levi isn’t even finished with the one in his hand, but Erwin hands him a second one almost immediately. Levi tucks it behind his ear with a bemused smirk, as if he knows just how much Erwin wants to hear him talk. Erwin watches as he makes himself comfortable, stretching out his legs and relaxing his shoulders. 

“Alright. I’m from Downtown Sina, way underground. Born and raised. It’s not a nice place, and this kinda shit happens often, but anyway—“ He pauses to take a deep pull. “Two weeks ago a bunch of gangbangers tried to run up on me, said I stole money from their boss. I told them to fuck off, because I was on pretty good terms with their boss and didn’t need any extra trouble. But they kept bothering me about it, said they had proof it was me, or some shit. They tried to jump me but I got away.”

Erwin has to fight to keep his expression schooled, which is harder than usual; mainly because he doesn’t know what sort of expression to make. The boy’s language serves to both stun Erwin and wind him up even further. Overshadowing his deviant thoughts, however, is annoyance creeping up within him.

Either the kid is blatantly lying to him, or—

But there is no _or_. It has to be a lie, a tall tale made up to fool anyone gullible enough to believe him. Erwin can feel his skin warm at Levi’s audacity; people don’t lie to Erwin, he lies to _them_. He feels insulted that some punk kid thought he was stupid enough to fall for some phony gang story. He almost stops the boy, asks him just who the hell he thinks he’s kidding—but then gets a hold of himself.

What exactly would be the point in calling Levi out? It wouldn’t contribute to his end goal, which was…

Well, Erwin isn’t exactly sure what his end goal is, just yet. But he knows he doesn’t want to make Levi upset, doesn’t want him to stop talking. People like Levi don’t pass through Stohess often, and the last thing Erwin wants is to leave an unfavorable impression. So he shakes out another cigarette for himself and attempts to sound intrigued. “Is that when you hurt your ankle?”

Levi glares at him. “ _No_. I’m getting there. So anyway, from then on I couldn’t get a minute alone. These motherfuckers were everywhere I went, trying to get me to pay up. I thought they would drop it once they realized I didn’t take shit from them, but they kept trying to find me. About a week ago, they tried to corner me and those two idiots—“ He waves towards his companions with the hand holding the cigarette. “—and told us that their boss had reached the end of his patience and was gonna make us pay one way or another. Started waving around knives, getting real excited.” 

“So, what happened?” Erwin listens vigilantly to the boy’s unwavering story—if he didn’t know any better, he would say that it wasn’t a fabrication. Levi spoke with casual conviction, a rawness about his voice that nearly had Erwin convinced of his tale. Erwin would be impressed if he didn’t feel so insulted-- he’s never come across anyone who could lie as well as he could.

Levi flicks his cigarette butt aside. “We got the fuck outta there, that’s what happened.” Erwin expects him to go on, but the boy doesn’t; leading Erwin to carefully prompt him once more.

“And… your ankle?”

“Crashed a motorcycle.” Levi says, as if it’s the most obvious answer in the world.

Erwin laughs to cover up his scorn. “That’s quite a story.” He says.

Levi hums.

A long silences stretches between them. Levi is looking away again, so Erwin scrambles for something else to say. “Er… So, how are you liking Stohess?”

Levi chuckles lowly. He cuts his eyes to the side, and Erwin is grateful that he has the boy’s attention again. “I’d tell you… but you don’t seem to care.”

Erwin frowns. Of course he cares; he’d do anything to keep the boy here next to him, sharing warmth on the stone parking block as the sun disappeared beyond the horizon. His bowling match starts in less than an hour, and he hasn’t even eaten yet; but those things seem meaningless. His is spellbound by this crude, gorgeous little liar. “Why do you think that?”

“Because you keep staring at me.”

_Oh._

Erwin had thought he was being subtle. No other males seemed to notice when he was checking them out; but then again, the only times he allowed himself to indulge in this sort of thing were in dark, secluded bars and illicit nightclubs. Sitting out in an open parking lot as the last rays of sunlight faded, conversing intimately with a boy he was attracted to, Erwin feels completely exposed.

Which, apparently, he is.

Erwin has never seen the point in denying an accusation after he was caught; however, he is still a man of precaution—so he choses his words carefully. “You’re very… distracting.”

Levi snorts, searching out Erwin’s eyes. “Is that what you call it out here? Well, you’re pretty distracting yourself, tiger.”

Erwin nearly blushes at the compliment. He is used to women telling him how handsome he was, and it isn’t as if the men he allows himself to… indulge with don’t offer him compliments as well. But this feels entirely different; he is wholly flattered and excited that this strange creature, clearly from a place with values that were contrary to those of the residents of Stohess, is attracted to him as well.

“T-thank you.” He hasn’t stuttered since he was a child. Erwin is intensely ashamed of himself. He pushes past it with a steely determination—and not a moment too soon, because the smaller male unexpectedly puts his hand on Erwin’s thigh. 

The tone of the moment switches with the darkening of the sky. Erwin can’t believe the nerve of this kid. They are completely unprotected, visible from every angle—any one of Erwin’s neighbors could come by, he knows practically everyone in this town—and yet he doesn’t push Levi away.

 He can’t, now that’s he’s finally figured out what he wants. 

“You know, Blondie,” Levi says, leaning up, and Erwin has his full attention now. “We were trying to figure you out. We just couldn’t understand why a man with a freshly-waxed Mercedes would stop for a bunch of punks.”

There’s a phony excuse of the tip on his tongue— _I believe in supporting young entrepreneurs—_ But he knows now that there’s no point, that somehow Levi can read him like a book and will shut down a lie in a second. So he swallows, and does something surprising to even himself: He tells the truth.

“It was for you.” 

Levi also seems surprised at the quick admission; but then his expression turns pleased. “I thought so.” He says softly, a slow smirk spreading across his face. His eyes are dark and full of intent as they bore into Erwin’s own.

“Don’t worry, we get a lot of guys like you. They usually go for Isabel, though.” Levi’s warm hand slides boldly up the inside of Erwin’s thigh. Erwin looks around hastily; there’s no one in sight other than Levi’s companions, who look as if they’re in the beginning stages of drying the car, paying the two of them no attention whatsoever. “So what exactly do you want from me, Blondie?”

“I want to get to know you better.”  Erwin’s voice edges on strangled, caught between uncharacteristically nervous and uncomfortably turned on.

Levi laughs in his face. “Be _honest_ , Blondie.” And Erwin is insulted because he _was_ being honest. He _does_ want to know this boy; that need is almost as great as his carnal desire for him.

But it’s not the answer Levi’s looking for. Erwin can tell, because while the location in unconventional, the setup is familiar. Levi is looking up at him, challenging him with his eyes. His mouth is open, lower lip wet with spit. Erwin can’t look away.

“I want to have sex with you.” He admits in a rough whisper, just loud enough for Levi to hear him. 

“Mmm.” Levi whispers back. “There it is.” He removes his hand from Erwin’s thigh and stands up. Erwin finds himself looking up at the boy again, this time in confusion and arousal. Levi sticks his hands in his pockets.

“You know it’s gonna cost you a lot more than a few cigarettes, right?”

He would pay _anything_. Erwin nods, standing up as well. He attempts to look equally as casual, despite the fact that he can barely come to terms with the fact that this is happening.

A white Cadillac rounds the corner, and the driver honks at him; Erwin automatically waves to the strawberry blonde woman behind the wheel, not recognizing her as his wife’s best friend until after she drives off. He is completely attentive to Levi and what he has to say next.

“Alright, then. Later.” A smirk lifts the corner of Levi’s mouth. There’s something like triumph in his eyes. “Tell me where to meet you, and I’ll be there. Okay?”

Erwin should have said no. There are so many things wrong with this—so many things that could go wrong. He is a rational man. He knows the risks.

But— Erwin is also a man who rarely fought against temptation. 

“Okay.” He agrees. The sun disappears beyond the horizon. 

* * *

 

\- x -

Erwin bowls three winning games in a row, then slips away while his drunken team members celebrate the victory and meets Levi in a dark corner of the parking lot. The kid had shown up on time, freshly showered even though Erwin hadn’t instructed him to. Erwin traps him against the side of his car, on the verge of _thanking_ him for coming. He is that thrilled, his body humming with adrenaline.

Levi clears his throat and holds out his hand. Erwin’s done this before, so he reaches for his wallet and deposits the bills into Levi’s open palm. Levi counts them out (a _professional_ , Erwin notes) then tucks his payment away and fixes Erwin with a heated look. 

From then on it’s a rush of frenzied kisses and awkward fumbling as Erwin pulls him against his chest, struggles to get the backseat door open, and then pushes him inside, onto the soft leather seats. He somehow manages to close the door behind him with Levi hanging off of his neck, sucking on his tongue and undoing his belt at the same time. He’s a pushy, impatient thing, and Erwin has to force him down against the seats to give himself a breather. He is painfully hard already; how long had it been since he had gotten that aroused from a bit of foreplay? He feels like a teenager. And speaking of…

“How old are you?” He pants sitting back on his heels.

Levi pushes up on his elbows, licking his lips. “How old do you want me to be, mister?”

It’s as arousing as it is evasive. Erwin really wants to press the matter, usually he isn’t this careless in making sure his partners were legal—but Levi made him forget about everything but the press of his lips, the sharpness of his teeth. Erwin hadn’t been lying earlier—Levi _is_ distracting, more so than anyone Erwin had ever met before. Levi drags him back down into a wet, bruising kiss and Erwin can’t do anything but allow it. He manages to calm himself when Levi pulls away for breath, holding the smaller male down by his shoulder. “Turn over.” Erwin rasps.

The brunet obeys, and soon Erwin has Levi’s legs spread, pants pushed down to his knees. Levi passes him a condom and a small packet of lubricant, and Erwin is forced to note his professionalism once more.

Levi takes his fingers expertly, grunting every once in a while but never once asking him to stop. He rolls his hips against Erwin’s hand, doing as much as he can to minimize his own discomfort. Erwin is nearly convinced; he’s too methodical, too _perfect_ at what they were doing. He couldn’t be a teenager. Erwin briefly rejoices at his deduction, before re-focusing his attention. He works in a third finger and watches as Levi’s body works with the intrusion instead of fighting against it.

“Fuck.” He whispers.

Levi laughs breathily, shooting a dark look over his shoulder. “Oooh, what was that? I didn’t think you knew any swears. You come off like a fucking boy scout, you know.”

He is surprisingly talkative. Fortunately by now, Erwin knows how to press his fingers deep enough to shut Levi up. It’s easy after that, and soon enough Erwin is pulling out his neglected erection, moving hastily to get close behind the smaller male. It’s nearly pitch black in the car, and he can only see the parts of Levi lit up by moonlight. He knocks into the boy’s foot by accident, too distracted by his glowing skin.  

Levi hisses, shooting a dark glare over his shoulder. “ _Shit_. Watch my ankle.”

“I’m sorry.” And he means it; Levi is perfect, almost too good to be true, and he wants to avoid doing anything that might make him want to stop. He carefully presses close up against Levi’s backside, mindful of the boy’s left ankle (and noting with surprise that the boy’s leg _was_ injured, after all). “Open your legs a little more.”

“I _can’t_. Just stick it in already.” Levi growls, stretching his arms out in front of him and settling his body more comfortably on Erwin’s soft leather seats. “Come on, I got places to be.”

Erwin can’t bring himself to argue. He opens the condom package and rolls it on, then grips his cock and pushes in. It’s scorching hot and tight like a vice, in the way that only a man could be. Levi exhales harshly through his nose, a shuddering noise that turns into a laugh at the end.

"Huh," Levi chuckles breathlessly, fingers curled around the door handle in front of him. He sighs as Erwin pulls back before he bottoms out completely, slowly savoring the tight hold around his erection. "And here I thought you were compensating for something, with this car."

Erwin laughs too, and it's genuine; strange, because he can't remember the last time someone made him laugh. "Sorry for disappointing you."

"Who’s— _ah_ —disappointed?" Levi groans as Erwin eases himself back in, pushing deeper than he had initially. "Mmm... but, fuck me already. I can take it."

Erwin is glad he has been granted permission, because his patience has just about run out. His slow, experimental thrusts become faster, more powerful; and Levi moans fervidly, emitting sounds of intense approval as his insides are stimulated. Erwin loves the decadent pitch of his voice, revels in it; feels overwhelmed by how all consuming this stranger is. It doesn’t stop him from needing _more_ , however-- more sounds, more of the brutally tight heat around his cock, more of Levi. He wants _all_ of him.

Erwin’s fighting with himself-- one part of him wanting to take it slow, wanting to commit this to memory just in case he never gets to do it again… and the other half tense, desperate, sweating as he grips the smaller male’s hips and grinds deep inside of him. It makes Levi shudder and gasp, one arm still outstretched and locked onto the door handle, the other groping down his body to wrap around his cock. He groans deeply, and then begins driving himself back against Erwin’s pelvis, meeting his thrusts with small grunts.

The temptation of Levi’s body, his _being_ —it’s too great. Erwin surrenders to himself and to Levi, increasing the speed of his thrusts and giving them what they both want. Levi braces himself on the inside of the door, moaning and hissing as he tries to keep up with Erwin, tries to meet the strokes of his hips with his own lower body. It’s hard to control him, but finally, through a haze of pleasure, Erwin manages to grasp the thin hips, holding Levi in place and driving into him intently. Levi voice goes high and hoarse, and Erwin makes him come like that. It feels like an accomplishment. Levi arches beautifully, his mouth falls open and he trembles noticeably; then his shoulders drop and he presses his cheek to the cushion, mouth open and panting.

“Fuck,” Erwin says again, throaty and desperate as he pushes his sweaty hair out of his eyes. His nails bite into Levi’s hips as he slams in quicker, free to move Levi to his liking, now that he's no longer fighting him.

His orgasm overtakes him without warning. Levi purrs, tightening around him as he erupts into the condom, closing his eyes hissing low over Levi’s back. Erwin bites his lip as he rides out the most intense orgasm he’s had in a while. “ _Goddamn_.” He groans, forcing his eyes open to drink in the sight of Levi’s prone body.

Levi smirks, damp and stretched out on Erwin’s back seat. His eyes are dark slits, glittering in the moonlight as Erwin pulls out and knots up the condom, panting heavily.

“There it is again.” Levi murmurs, reaching behind him to slide his underwear back up. “You’re really kinda nasty, aren’t you, Blondie? ‘nice way to treat a customer’, my ass.”

Erwin makes a noise of casual agreement, distracted by the endorphins stills pulsing through his body. He finds himself wondering what he’s done to deserve such an unexpected gift in the form of a short, dirty-mouthed drifter.

Levi pushes himself up into a sitting position, wiggles just enough to draw his pants back up. His shirt falls back into place on its own, and from the fold of his pant cuff he produces the second cigarette from that afternoon, hardly bent. He lights it up; steely eyes half lidded as he looks towards Erwin, daring him to say something. Erwin has nothing to say, but he does note the boy’s professionalism for the third time, now with a hint of envy.

He cleans himself off and tucks himself back in, then wipes down the car seat with a spare rag. Levi watches him from his position against the car door, a plume of smoke curling around his head. He uncrosses his les when Erwin’s finished, tossing the rag into an empty bag.

“You gonna call me again, Blondie?”

“It’s Erwin.” The blonde corrects, absentmindedly attempting to push his hair back into place.

“Erwin, whatever.” In the dark, Erwin can’t see Levi roll his eyes. “So do you want my number or not? I can keep a secret, I swear it.”

 _Yes._ Of course he did. But before he could--

"How old are you?" Erwin asks again, still breathless.

Levi regards him from his dark corner. He seems annoyed that Erwin has asked him a second time. “You sure you wanna know?”

“Yes.”

Levi takes another drag, waits a while before exhaling. “I’m twenty-five. Sucks for you if you wanted something younger, sleazebag.”

 “I didn’t.” Erwin is elated. Levi isn’t a boy at all—he’s only seven years younger than Erwin. He could kiss the other man. 

 “No?” Levi asks. “I thought you’d be one of those shitty fucks that get off on how young I look.”

Erwin shakes his head. Then he thinks, _fuck it_ , and does kiss the other man, tasting the smoke on his breath. He can’t believe how lucky he is. Levi kisses him back, then bites sharply at Erwin’s lower lip. Erwin hisses; it’s going to leave a mark that he’ll have to explain to Anka, but he can already feel himself getting hard again.

Levi licks his lips as he pushes Erwin back, fully in control of the moment—just as he had been all night. All afternoon. His eyes are a dark promise.

“Well. I think we’re gonna get along fine, Erwin.”

 

 


	2. ii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which Levi and Erwin don't get along after all 8D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i must express how grateful i am for all of the feedback i received from the first chapter of this fic. i'm so happy you guys like this idea!! i'm having a lot of fun writing this (even though it did take me 3+ months to finish ch2 -.-; ). this AU just makes so much sense to me, lol
> 
> my tumblr is [jubileusthecreator](jubileusthecreator.tumblr.com) & i'm tracking and posting in the tag [1950s eruri](tumblr.com/tagged/1950s-eruri) if anyone wants to come visit! i've also updated the tags and made some edits to the first chapter. 
> 
> sooo here's chapter two! i hope yall like it (• ε •)

* * *

**\- x -**

After that night—

Erwin isn’t the same.

Levi is a constant presence in his thoughts. Erwin spends his days replaying their encounter over and over in his mind, caught up in his memories of Levi's eyes and his body and his entire being. He spaces out at stoplights, finds himself drifting during the daytime.

He thinks about Levi at work and at home, in the morning in his car and while he's at the bank and at the supermarket and when he's home with his family, seated in front of the television with his wife and daughter while his son plays on the carpet. He tunes them out with a practiced ease. Twice, he wakes up sweaty and hard in the middle of the night, his dreams full of Levi, of the things they did and the things that Erwin wants to do to him. He is startled and embarrassed by his own lack of self-control, but guilt never crosses his mind, even as Anka sleeps obliviously beside him.

He is utterly smitten. Levi has broken up the monotony of Erwin’s life, maybe for good.

Every part of him aches to see Levi again. The knowledge of his very _existence_ , the fact that Levi is _real,_ the fact that he’s in his town and and he wants Erwin the same way Erwin wants him-- it nearly makes him lose his breath. He’s obsessed with Levi. And, more than that, he is unbearably curious. What kind of man _is_ Levi, exactly? Labeling him is close to impossible, simply because he is unlike anyone Erwin has ever met before.

But Erwin welcomes the challenge of figuring the other man out. He's already started, in fact, spending hours attempting to guess Levi's true origins. The story he gave Erwin last week seemed incredibly unlikely, but it is a good place to start.

Erwin has always been exponentially curious, ever since he was a child. It’s a trait that his father had told him to get rid of, but Erwin never did; he just learned how to hide it. Instead of asking questions, he taught himself how to sneak around and pull information from people whenever their guard was down. It was a strategy that he had initially developed to avoid his father's ire; but as he grew older, Erwin soon discovered the practical uses of this method as well. He learned how to charm and seduce using only his words; and now Erwin has a big house, a beautiful wife, and the respect and admiration of his community to show for it. It's all that any man could ever want; and indeed, Erwin is aware of how fortunate he is. He wouldn't risk his lifestyle for anything.

Which is why he is extra precautious when it comes to indulging in his true desires. Deviants aren’t welcome in Stohess, and Erwin refuses to jeopardize his success by being irresponsible with his secrets. He’s seen it happen before, has borne witness to how his neighborhood could turn on a person in a day just because of a handful of rumors. He’s seen well-respected community members ostracized overnight, and Erwin will be damned if it happens to him.

Which is why Erwin is slightly unsettled by his own infatuation. He’s never been more curious in his life, has never been so pre-occupied with a single person before, caught between unbridled excitement and relentless anxiety. It makes him nervous, but he reassures himself that he is still far too cautious to make any mistakes.

So, as expected, Erwin’s desires win out. He lasts a week and a half before finally caving.

It’s a sunny day in mid-autumn, and Erwin has fired two people before lunch. He celebrates by unlocking his desk drawer and pulling out the crumpled receipt Levi had scrawled his number on. He props his legs up on his desk and dials, determined to treat this as just another business call to mask his jitters.

His fingers tap on the armrest of the chair as he waits for someone to pick up. It rings about 8 times before a female voice answers, excessively loud and cheerful. “Hello?! Whaddaya want?” she shouts.

It sounds like the girl from the car wash, but Erwin can't be sure. “Good morning. I'd like to speak to Levi, please.”

“Okay! Hang on!” She yells. There’s a loud crack on the other end of the line. “Big Brother, it’s for you!”

There’s some grumbling in the background, and Erwin hears a testy “that’s not how you answer the fucking _phone_ , Isabel--” before an irritated huff of breath comes over the line. “ _Shit._ Yeah, what is it?”

Levi’s voice is deeper than Erwin remembers, rough with sleep. It sends a delighted thrill through him, and multiple questions begin streaming through his head. How long had he been asleep for? What does his bed look like? Is he a light sleeper? Does he snore?

Erwin clears his throat to regain focus. “Hello. This is Erwin.”

“ _Who_?”

‘ _Who’_ is not something people normally said after hearing his name. “Erwin Smith. From... the other night. At the bowling alley.”

“Oh. Y--” Levi cuts himself off with a yawn. “--Yeah.”

“I’d like to see you again.” Erwin says, then adds, “Tonight.” He can't wait any longer.

“Hmm... ah, okay.” Levi’s voice is a thoughtful rasp, distorted by static. “I got a job today but I should be done by eight. You wanna meet me then?”

"Sure." Erwin agrees, hiding his excitement easily. He would have to call Anka and tell her he’d be staying late at the office, but she’s used to it by now.

"Okay." Levi gives Erwin the address of a local park, not too far away from his son’s elementary school. "Pull up around the back, and don't be obvious about it. I'll meet you there."

"Alright. I look forward to--" But Levi has already hung up. Just as well; Erwin had nothing of substance left to say. He sets the phone back in its cradle, and seconds later he is back at his work, whistling a cheerful tune.

* * *

**\- x -**

Free from the cloud of uncertainty that weighed him down their first meeting, Erwin now looks forward to confronting today's tryst with confident determination. He taps his fingers to the songs on the radio as he drives to the park, enjoying the stray warm breeze passing through his open windows. It's the middle of October, and the days have been chilly more often than not. Erwin appreciates the last sporadic, fading days of warmth before Stohess succumbs to winter.

Levi had surely viewed his bumbling with distaste, the last time they met; but Erwin’s not going to make the same mistake twice. Now that he doesn't have the threat of rejection hanging over his head, he is determined to leave a better impression on the younger man.

Erwin replays their phone conversation over in his head, thinking about how the other man's voice had sounded, and how it had made his stomach feel strange. Levi spoke without the niceties that dictated polite conversation, simple and straight to the point. His crudeness is still a bit jarring, but it is something that can be addressed at a later time.

As it so happens, the ‘job’ was a birthday party.

Erwin eases the car onto the grass of the designated meeting area and takes in the odd sight before him. Levi’s waiting against a chain link fence, smoking a cigarette. His face is painted like a cat’s, dark whiskers and a triangle nose atop the tense lines of his face. The park is empty, save for a few stragglers hanging about towards the entrance, far away from the two of them. There are streamers everywhere, as well as a mountain of colorful balloons piled high next to the dark-clothed figure.

Erwin finds the face paint endearing; apparently, Levi doesn’t.

“What the fuck are you looking at?” He demands, wrenching open the passenger door and climbing into the car.

Erwin frowns. It certainly isn't the greeting he expected, nor is it even close to being the one he wanted. It's perplexing; why would Levi be so disrespectful after agreeing to meet him? Perhaps it was a city thing.

 _I’ll set him right tonight_ , Erwin thinks. _After we’ve…_

But then Levi is sliding into the passenger seat, one hand wrapping around the back of Erwin’s neck and pulling him close to kiss him on the mouth. Erwin's breath catches at the warm drag of the smaller man's lips. He can hear the back door of his car open and close, but it doesn’t register until a soft giggle interrupts their embrace. Erwin opens his eyes as Levi pulls back. His guest casts a glare towards the back of the car.

Erwin adjusts his rearview mirror. Stuffed into the backseat is the massive collection of colorful balloons, and in the midst of them is a sheepish-looking redhead.

“They said I could keep the leftover decorations!” She explains cheerfully. She has a heart painted on her left cheek, and what looks like chocolate around her mouth.

“Isabel.” Levi nods towards the girl, but is addressing Erwin. “She needs a ride.”

Erwin had been expecting they would cut right to the chase, of course; and indeed, his blood is thrumming from Levi’s kiss--

\--But he’s a charitable man, so Erwin says, “Of course. Where to?”

“Our place.” Levi secures his seatbelt across his chest. Isabel squeals, and emits a string of ‘ _thank you thank you thank yous!!_ ’ as Erwin pulls away from the park and back onto the main road.

It's an unexpected setback, but it's also a means to an end. Erwin would drive Levi wherever he wanted just to share the space with him—and indeed, it’s not even close to being the most uncomfortable thing Erwin’s done to get what he wants. He’s a little surprised that Levi is willing to show him their place of residence; but he doesn’t question it, just follows the other male’s directions as Isabel hums along to the radio in the backseat.

Levi leads him to an old Victorian house, isolated and crumbling at the edge of town. The white paint is chipped and dingy and the grass is overgrown and unkempt. Erwin feels a flash of recognition as he stares up at it, pulling up close to the curb.

"This is Myrtle Magnolia's house." Erwin observes, more to himself than to his passengers.

"That's my grandmother!" Isabel exclaims from the backseat. "You know her?"

Erwin nods, surprised by the information. He turns, craning his neck over the pile of balloons to look at Isabel. Now that he knows to search for it, the resemblance between Isabel and the kindly old woman is apparent-- most evident in the bright green eyes they shared.

"Myrtle's a fine woman." Erwin says, now more puzzled than ever. He had assumed that they were residing in a motel, or something similar. Why did the trio need to save up money if they lived with Myrtle Magnolia? The old woman was certainly fairly well off.

"...She used to look after me when I was younger." Erwin decides to divulge. If nothing else, at least now he has a point of connection with the girl. Surely Levi would see this as a good thing, and maybe he would let his guard down for a bit.

"Yeah, me too! My mom used to bring me here all of the time!" Isabel tells him excitedly, placing a hand on Erwin's seat and leaning forward between him and Levi. "Whatta coincidence! Did you used to help her garden, too? Oh, oh! What about--"

"Aren't you gonna help her with the balloons?" Levi cuts in with a sideways glare, directed towards Erwin.

Isabel falls silent almost immediately. Erwin glances at her, then turns to face Levi.

"You're right. I'm being irresponsible."

Erwin turns the car off and pockets his keys. He exits the car and walks to the backdoor; during his short journey, he notices Levi turning around to say something to Isabel, his expression cross.

Erwin reaches the back door and opens it, letting loose an avalanche of colorful balloons. He helps the struggling girl out of the car, then guides the concentration of balloons out of the backseat and into his arms. Isabel attempts to help by picking up the ones that had fallen and placing them atop the pile in his arms, but after a few minutes of trying to jump as high as she can, she gives up and gathers up the strays instead.

Together they walk up the choppy concrete path towards the front porch. Erwin remembers warm summer afternoons spent on the porch, entertaining the old lady with his stories as he waited for his father to come pick him up. He knew Mrs. Magnolia had a daughter, but had never once met her-- and he had been living in Stohess for nearly all of his life. A granddaughter is even more surprising, especially a girl who ran around with someone like Levi. The old woman had been living alone for as long as Erwin has been alive, and no one in town had ever mentioned her having any relatives.

He looks over at Isabel, who is walking determinedly beside him. He had expected her to bombard him with more questions, but whatever Levi had told her was enough to keep her quiet. He doesn’t push it; there will be other opportunities to dig.

They climb the steps to the front porch. Since Isabel has a lighter load, she is able to raise a hand and slam the doorknocker down onto the heavy wooden surface. They wait a few seconds, and then the door opens. It’s the blond from the parking lot; the third member of the trio. He stares at Erwin, then turns a glare onto Isabel. “Who the hell is this?”

“It’s Erwin.” Levi has unexpectedly appeared at his elbow, but Erwin is more surprised by Levi remembering his name than his sudden arrival. Levi jerks a thumb over his shoulder, towards Erwin’s car. “Remember?”

“Yeah, I remember.” The blond sneers. “What’s he doing here?”

“He was just helping me, Farlan.” Isabel jumps in, shoving her pile of balloons into his face. “Look, I have to tell you about the party today! There was popcorn and candy apples and--“

“Alright, alright!” Farlan snaps, stepping away from the doorframe. “Tell me later. Take this shit up to your room and get him out of here.”

Isabel doesn’t need to be to be told twice. She leads Erwin up a carpeted oak staircase, freshly polished. Once they reach the first landing, she guides him to a room near the end of the hallway.

Inside, the room looks as if it is caught in between two decades. The décor is classic, with ornate wallpaper and simple 18th century furniture; but it is cluttered with a wide variety of knickknacks, seemingly from completely random places. There’s a string of Christmas lights above the headboard of the ornate bed, with nearly every other bulb shattered. There’ s a dusty green highway sign-- TROST, 5 MILES-- propped up in the corner, next to a grimy fishbowl filled with glittering jewelry. The young woman’s clothing is strewn all over the place. Erwin tries to think of a polite way to describe the small bedroom; but the only word he can think of is ‘dump’.

“Where do you want these?” Erwin asks, hiding his distaste at the sight of the room.

“Oh, anywhere!” Isabel tells him, having already scattered her own armful. She flops back onto the bed, emitting a relaxed sigh. A stack of magazines slides from the comforter and crash to the floor. Erwin steps over them to deposit the balloons in the clearest corner, before retreating towards the entrance of the room, lest he get swallowed up inside of it.

The girl is unmoving, and Erwin wonders if she has fallen asleep already. But, no—her head pops up as soon as he reaches the doorway.

“Do you like my room?” Isabel asks excitedly, rolling over onto her stomach and folding her arms beneath her head, facing Erwin. "You're my very first visitor!"

"It's lovely." Erwin tells her. He wants to leave and get back to Levi; but he can hear the blond's voice rising downstairs and he doesn't think he should interrupt. “You’ve got quite the collection of… items.”

Isabel nods proudly. “I know, isn’t it great? I’ve found lots of neat stuff for this place! People here throw out all kinds of useful things.” She gestures in the direction of the town. “You guys are really strange.”

Erwin pushes aside his disgust over the implication that everything in the room had been found in somebody’s garbage. He uncrosses his arms, fixing Isabel with a look of interest, albeit strained. “How so?"

“Like… like, how you guys throw out food that isn’t even fully eaten! What a waste. Don’t you have people who are hungry?” Isabel asks, tilting her head to the side.

“Not usually.” Erwin can sense that he’s on the verge of discovering something important, so he stops trying to listen in on the argument downstairs.

“Well, I’m glad we came here.” Isabel says, sitting up on the comforter and folding her legs beneath her. “That means we’ll never be hungry too, right?”

“Of course you won’t ever be hungry.” Erwin reassures her. “The people in this town look out for each other.”

“Good!” Isabel says, a smile of relief lighting up her face. “In the Underground, we were hungry all of the time. Dirty, too. Big brother hated it.”

Erwin remembers her calling Levi this during their phone call. He wonders if they're actually related. “Well, it’s a good thing you decided to move.”

Downstairs, Farlan’s voice rises. “—No. _No_. I don’t fucking _like_ this, Levi—“

“We didn’t decide to move! We were chased out. There were these guys who kept bothering Big Brother, even though he didn’t do nothing. We were—“ She stops, and her expression turns down.

“I… Big Brother said not to tell strangers about us.” Isabel says, sounding regretful. “He already yelled at me for it before.”

“It’s alright. He already told me most of it the other day." Erwin says casually, sticking his hands in his pockets and leaning comfortably against the doorframe. "You’re from Sina, right? All three of you?"

Isabel nods. Erwin presses further. "And Levi said something about a gang coming after you..?"

Isabel curls her fists in the comforter, her face twisting into a frown. "Yeah! Those assholes." She fumes, and Erwin is taken aback just a little. "They attacked us when we were coming back from--" She pauses, her brow wrinkling in worry.

"--Um, I can't tell you that part. But anyway, we were walking home at night and they just came out of nowhere! They had knives and baseball bats. Big brother got his ankle smashed in pretty hard." Isabel winces at the memory. "But we fought them off and got away. We had to drag big brother to the docks, and there we got on the first truck we saw.”

It matches up pretty evenly with Levi’s story; and Erwin has to resign himself to the fact that he may have been wrong to write Levi off as a liar. For some strange reason, he feels... guilty, that he hadn’t believed Levi the first time. He takes consolation in the knowledge that Levi hadn’t been entirely truthful about his injury.  

Luckily for Erwin, Isabel is a lot easier to read than Levi. Erwin knows exactly what to say to make her confident that she made the right choice in trusting him.

“How awful.” Erwin tells her, expression sympathetic. “I’m sorry that happened to you and your… friends. It must have been terribly traumatic.”

To his surprise, the girl just shrugs. “Nah, it was bound to happen anyway. Big Brother taught me to always be ready for trouble.” Isabel rises up on her knees and strikes an impressive fighting pose. “Anything can happen in the Underground!”

Erwin puts his hands up in mock defense. “Well, that sort of thing certainly doesn’t happen here.”

“Good!” Isabel drops back down onto the comforter with a smile. Her red hair is bright against the dingy pillow, drifting into her eyes as she closes them. She looks as if she’s actually going to fall asleep this time, which is fine with Erwin because he’s gotten more than enough information from her. Unfortunately, her eyes pop open again just as he’s turning.

“Wait! Do you want to see me as a baby?” She’s off the bed and in front of him before he can say no. “Come on, I’ll show you! There’s a ton of pictures downstairs.”

“Er… sure.” Erwin says, wondering how long he is going to have to wait for Levi. “I would first like to say hello to Myrtle, however. Is she home?”

“She’s—asleep.” Isabel says, fidgeting with the bottom of her vest. “I’ll tell her that you stopped by.” She squints up at Erwin. “What’s your name, again?”

“Erwin. Erwin Smith.”

“Okay, Erwin!” And suddenly she brightens again. “Let’s go look at those pictures!”

* * *

**\- x -**

Isabel drags him through three separate rooms, pointing out every single photo frame and attaching a silly anecdote to each of her descriptions. After about ten minutes, Erwin has had enough. The value in her presentation is the proof that her and the old woman are indeed related; he doesn’t need to hear her recollections of trivial outings with her grandmother. He is tempted to ask Isabel what happened to her mother; but it is far to personal a question. Erwin will save it for another time.

He’s just about to attempt an escape when Levi finally appears.

“Taking a little tour, huh?” He asks Erwin, his irritated expression fully visible now that he’s washed off the face paint.

Isabel peers around Erwin’s larger frame, laughing nervously. “Oh, h-hi Big Brother! I was just showing Erwin some pictures. I didn’t tell him anything important, hah-hah!”

Erwin wants to put a hand to his forehead at how obvious she is being; but it isn’t as if _he_ has to face the repercussions of her disclosures. It’s not his problem, so he fixes Levi with a look of his own. “Isabel was kind enough to show me around while I _waited for you_.”

Levi gets the hint. “I’m done. Let’s roll.”

He pushes past Erwin and makes his way toward the front door. Erwin and Isabel follow him in near unison. The blond is nowhere to be seen.

At the door, Isabel throws her arms around Erwin’s waist, making Levi’s scowl even more prominent. “Thanks for visiting!” She exclaims, looking up at him with a wide smile. “I had a lot of fun!”

Erwin gently removes her from his torso, but gives her a smile that isn’t entirely artificial. “You’re certainly welcome. I’m honored that you—“

“You talk too much. We’re leaving.” Levi interrupts, grabbing hold of Erwin’s forearm. “Isabel, you better not be awake when I get back.”

“Okay, big brother!” Isabel salutes, then waves at Erwin. “Bye, Erwin!”

Levi jostles him outside.

* * *

**\- x -**

Erwin dislikes small talk, nearly despises it; but of course, he’s a master at it. And now that he’s got Levi alone in his car, he has time to pry a bit. He can’t stand to waste a single second of their time together with silence. Clearing his throat, Erwin completes a turn onto a side street before asking, “So, what do you think of—“

“ _Not_ in the mood, Blondie.” Levi halts Erwin’s plan almost immediately. “I don’t wanna hear any of your shitty boring questions.”

So they’re back to ‘Blondie’ again. Erwin is disappointed. “My apologies. I was just trying to—“

“To ‘get to know me better’, right?” Levi interrupts rudely. “That’s called being _nosy_. So mind your own damn business.”

“Alright.” Erwin concedes. There doesn’t seem to be much he can do after Levi makes up his mind. Attempting to get any more information out of him would just be a waste of time.

So they drive in silence, through the darkened, sleepy streets of Stohess, vacant at this time of night. Erwin itches to say something; he can’t stand the awkward quiet that fills a space whenever two strangers share it. He clicks on the radio. Levi snorts but doesn’t say anything, seemingly quite content with running his fingers along the side panel on his door, admiring its sleekness.

They’re waiting at an intersection when Levi casts a furtive glance towards Erwin. He ignores it the first time, but when Levi looks again, Erwin can’t let him get away with it.

“Yes?” He asks.

Levi scowls.

“You might as well tell me. I’d be happy to sate your curiosity.”

Levi’s scowl deepens—but wait, are his cheeks darker? “What were you talking about with Isabel, anyway?”

 _Now who’s being nosy?_ Erwin casts a smug look in Levi’s direction. “I’ll tell you, if you answer one question of mine. That’s fair, isn’t it?”

Levi’s mouth twists up. “Fine.”

“Okay.” Erwin grins to himself. “I was just describing Stohess to her. She was curious about the neighborhood, so I told her about it. He looks over at Levi, a glint in his eye. “But she told me a little bit about you, as well.”

“Like _what_?” Levi demands, edging closer to Erwin.

“That would be two questions.” Erwin tells him as the car growls over a speed bump. He‘s delighted by the exchange. “Are you prepared to answer a second one as well?”

Levi scoffs. “No. _Fine_ , ask your damn question.”

“What were you and your blond friend arguing over?”

Levi responds with an overly dramatic eye roll, muttering ‘ _nosy_ ’ once more under his breath. “We were fighting about you. He said I shouldn’t have brought you to the house.”

It’s just as Erwin suspected. “What did you tell him?”

“That you’re about to fuck me in the ass, so it doesn’t matter.” Levi unbuckles his seatbelt as Erwin slows to a stop behind a thicket of dense brush by the railroad tracks, silent and deserted at this time of night. Erwin shuts the car off, and this time Levi slides into Erwin’s lap, a warm, generous weight on Erwin’s thighs. “You are, aren’t you?” He murmurs over the chirping of dozens of crickets. Erwin nods dumbly, unable to do anything else at the sudden switch in demeanor.

Levi kisses him hotly, moaning in a way that has Erwin stiffening in seconds. Levi takes off his pants, then removes Erwin’s shirt as well, murmuring a, “not bad” when Erwin’s impressively cut torso is revealed. Lube and a condom are exchanged, just like the first time; and Erwin ends up working Levi open with the younger man raised up on his knees on either side of him; sighing his pleasure into Erwin’s neck.

Soon enough, Levi admits his impatience with a courteous, “Hurry the fuck up, jackass.” Erwin finds that the name-calling doesn’t bother him, this time. It’s hard to become upset with Levi panting and pliable beneath his fingers; and Erwin is confident that he has the upper hand in this situation.

So instead of giving Levi what he wants, Erwin pulls his fingers from between Levi’s thighs and wraps them around his cock. He fists his other hand in Levi’s hair and yanks his head back, the brutish action coming naturally to him.

“My name is Erwin,” He reminds Levi, stroking his rough palm up and down the length of his erection. “And I want to hear you say it.”

Levi groans lowly, gracing Erwin with a look of dark seduction from the point where Erwin holds him, biting his lower lip.  “Okay, Err- _winnn_ —-” He says it exactly how Erwin likes on the first try, low and sugar sweet. Desire seizes him, and Erwin really can’t control himself; he lunges forward while guiding Levi’s lips towards his.

They kiss fiercely for what may be the most incomparable two minutes of Erwin’s life before Levi pulls back, scraping his teeth down the column of Erwin’s neck. Erwin hisses, desperate as well and so he gives the other man what he wants, ghosting his palm fingers up the inside of Levi’s thighs before sliding his fingers back inside of him.

Levi moans and bites down hard on the meat of Erwin’s shoulder; it makes him swear breathily, and of course Levi takes it as encouragement. It gets to the point where Levi is practically abusing his neck. Unwillingly, Erwin has to fend him off—he’s already been too lenient.

“Stop,” Erwin grunts, withdrawing his hand and grasping Levi’s hip instead. “I have a wife, she can’t see—“

“You have a _wife_?”

The wet pressure on Erwin’s neck is gone in an instant. Levi pulls back and fixes him with a look of muted fury. “Since _when_?”

Erwin meets the angry look in Levi’s eyes with utter confusion. "I… I’m not sure I understand your question."

Levi pushes hard at Erwin’s shoulders, snarling. "Fucking dumbass, where’s your _ring_?”

"I... don't wear it." Erwin is bewildered.

“Why the fuck _not?”_

“I don’t want to lose it.” Erwin explains automatically. “But, honestly-- what does it _matter_?" He is truly baffled.

"It matters because-- because you're a fucking dirtbag." Levi snaps. "I don’t fucking believe this. You got kids, too?"

" _No_." Erwin lies, partially to avoid being shoved again and partially to prevent Levi from becoming even more wrathful. He would have never thought something as trivial as a wife and kids could rouse Levi’s ire, and he doesn’t have the time to try to figure it out.

Levi’s eyes are narrowed, his glare is razor sharp and his arms are folded tightly across his chest. But he’s still straddling Erwin, and when Erwin looks down he can see that Levi’s still hard, the wetness on his tip glistening in the dark. Levi catches him looking, and grabs Erwin’s face with both hands.

“Explain yourself.” Levi demands angrily, and Erwin is still more than slightly confused. “And don’t you fucking lie to me again. Tell me the truth.”

“I am married.” Erwin can’t do anything but try to talk his way out of it. “I’m sorry; I would have told you before if I had known you’d react this way.

“Men like us… we don’t have many options. I’m sure you know that.” Erwin says, calm and non-threatening. “I’ve been here all my life. I tried to hold out, but people became curious after I returned from University. What should I have done?”

Levi makes a sound of annoyance, as if Erwin’s response irritates him. He’s still on Erwin’s lap, so Erwin cups the back of Levi’s head with one hand, his hip with the other. He draws Levi closer, and Levi glares at him but allows his body to be moved. Erwin thinks his hunch is correct, and slides his hand under Levi’s t-shirt.

"I'm sorry.” Erwin repeats, as sincerely as he can. “I should have told you." His thumb brushes against Levi's nipple. Levi's breath catches, unsettling his glare and making him look more petulant than anything else.

“People like you are scum.” Levi hisses, but his body starts to loosen up as Erwin strokes his lower stomach with the pads of his fingers.

“I know.” Erwin admits, eyes half-lidded as he tastes the arch of Levi’s jaw. He can’t stop himself.Erwin’s hand trails past Levi’s flushed erection, sliding down the inside of his thigh instead. Levi squirms in displeasure.

“I know.” Erwin repeats in a murmur, blue eyes bright in the dark as he stares up at Levi, mouthing down his chest. Levi’s hand threads tightly in his hair.

When Levi finally drags him up for a kiss, hungry and wet and of his own free will, Erwin calls it a victory.

* * *

**\- x -**  


After they’ve finished, Erwin opens up the front doors of the Mercedes to air it out. Levi leans on the hood, smoking a cigarette and looking up at the stars. Erwin wipes down the seat and windows, then lights a cigarette of his own, leaning against a nearby oak so as to give Levi his space. Erwin feels strangely relaxed as he smokes; he recalls all of the times he had driven down here for a discreet hookup in the past. He used to come down here quite often, before he married Anka. The old clearing is still the same, the ground littered with beer cans and yellow-wrapped filters, just as it was in Erwin’s youth.

He finishes his cigarette and crushes the butt against the bark of the tree. He pushes off of the tree, but is stopped by Levi’s voice.

“It smells clean out here.” Levi says, still staring up the night sky. “That’s what I like best about this place. Where I’m from, it smells like shit every damn day.”

He raises his arms in a stretch, then turns to look at Erwin. “What’s with that stupid expression? Come on, I’m hungry.”

Erwin drives them to a fast food restaurant close to the edge of town, on the border between Stohess and Trost. It’s out of his way back to Levi’s, but the odds of being recognized at such a place are slim to none; even so, Erwin pulls around to the drive-thru window and places Levi’s order through the loudspeaker.

Levi is smoking a cigarette in the passenger seat. He hasn’t said anything since they drove onto the main road, save for passing Erwin some coins and telling him that he wanted a burger and a soda “with no goddamn ice cubes, _capisce_?” Erwin looks over at him. He is minutely surprised to see Levi’s eyes drooping, close to sleep even as the cigarette burns between his lips. Erwin checks his watch; it’s only just turning 10, yet the man looks as if he’s about to drop.

When he pulls up to the delivery window, Erwin catches a glimpse of the girl who had taken his order. She’s tall, with olive skin, freckles, and a mean look about her. He recognizes her from somewhere; he can’t put a name to her face, but Erwin knows that he’s seen her before, and more than once. He studies her casually but with intent, nervousness beginning to creep up within.

Suddenly, it clicks. Erwin leans over to Levi, who’s bobbing his head slightly to the radio. “Levi,” He says. “Duck down when she gives me the order.”

Levi slides his gaze over to the left. There’s something like amusement in his eyes, but it fades nearly instantly when he realizes that Erwin is serious. “You gotta be fucking kidding me.” His voice is the same rasp Erwin heard on the phone that morning.

“That girl goes to school with the my neighbor’s daughter.” Erwin informs him as cordially as he can. “She may recognize me.”

Levi gives him a blank look. He appears even more drained in the harsh neon lighting, and Erwin feels something like guilt pull at his chest. He knows he’s being unfair, and in another world, another life he wouldn’t ask his beguiling guest to hide himself for Erwin’s sake.

That is, until Levi curls his lip condescendingly. “And who are you, the fucking pope?”

“ _No--”_ Erwin exhales heavily, realizing that he’s getting nowhere. He turns the radio off, just in case Levi is mishearing him.

“Look, Levi.” He says sympathetically, trying to level with the other man, appeal to his logical side. “I can’t have her see you with me. She might tell someone else, and then... well, people gossip in a town like this.” He offers Levi a friendly smile. “You understand, right?”

Levi’s expression sours even further. “Don’t talk to me like that.”

Erwin thinks he’s being perfectly polite. Levi could learn a thing from him. “Like _what_?”

“Like I’m a fucking baby.” Levi violently flicks his cigarette butt out of the window. “You don’t gotta explain shit to me, Blondie. I get it.”

“Oh. Good.” Erwin is relieved.

“That doesn’t mean I’m gonna do it, though. Do I look like your goddamn mistress or something?”

“…” Maybe Levi doesn’t understand. Erwin tries again.

“I just don’t want any rumors going around. I— _we_ could get into a lot of trouble, you know? And I don’t think that--”

“Christ, would you _shut up_ already? You’re like a damn broken record.” Levi snaps at him, and Erwin is stunned into silence. Who was the last person that told him to shut up? His father, most likely. Mike, maybe.

“ _Levi_ \--” Erwin stops as Levi unclips his seatbelt. He watches in confusion, then paralyzing fear, as Levi leans over his body to grab the greasy bag and soft drink from the freckled girl, who has just reappeared at the window.

“Thanks.” He says carelessly as he settles back into his seat. “Drive, Blondie."

Erwin does so without thinking about it, peeling out of the drive-thru before Levi can even re-fasten his seatbelt.  His heart pounds uncontrollably as he turns onto the main road, unsettled by the unexpected turn of events. Reactionary emotions are seizing his limbs-- shock at how easily subjugated he had been, anger about not getting his way. But above everything, Erwin is intensely afraid.

His blood runs cold as he thinks of the awful possibilities. What if that girl told Nile’s daughter? And what if she told Nile? And what if Nile told Anka, and then—

It’s the closest call he’s had so far, and Erwin’s been doing this for nearly a decade. He’s made it this long by being _careful_ ; by not allowing even the slightest chance of being found out by friends and strangers alike. Rumors start easily; and all it takes is one person whispering his name to another; after that, it’s all over for him.

Erwin’s never been so fearful in his life. Even the smallest risk it is out of the question.

Levi is nearly finished with his meal, his bites hurried but not sloppy. He is completely oblivious to Erwin’s stewing outrage. Erwin cannot believe the audacity of this man—of this _stranger_ who has apparently decided it isn’t enough to invade his thoughts and take over his life; now Levi must expose him, as well.

Sensing his scrutiny, Levi looks over at Erwin. He studies him briefly then snorts, rolling his eyes as he swallows the final mouthful of his burger.

“You’re really upset, huh?”

Upset is an understatement. If he were a crueler man, Erwin would have left him on the side of the road. “You could have ruined everything for me.”

Levi glares at him, but meticulously wipes his face and hands before responding.

“You’re a real fucking drama queen, you know that?” Levi stuffs the napkins into the bag they came in. “Man, you’re really pissing me off today. You’re lucky you’re so good-looking.”

“I don’t think you—“

“And let’s get one thing straight.” Levi cuts him off again, talking over Erwin with ease. “I don’t take orders from _nobody_ , especially not some shitty WASP who’s afraid of a brat working at a burger shop.”

“It’s more than that.” Erwin snaps, making an aggressive right turn. “Aren’t you afraid of people finding out? Of getting arrested? We could go to _prison_.”

There’s an admission in his tone; and Erwin is somewhat startled when he realizes that he’s just vocalized one of his own fears. Even more upsetting is the coarse sound of Levi’s laugh, loud and harsh in the silence of the car.

“Yeah. I been there.” Levi tells him. “It’s not so bad. Though I guess it could be, for a pretty boy like you.”

His tone is snide, challenging in a way that Erwin doesn’t have the energy for. Not anymore. He is too exhausted to voice his disbelief; and it wouldn’t take them anyplace good, regardless. He’s angry and overwhelmed and the best course of action would be to just get as far away from Levi as possible.

So he says nothing else. He thinks Levi expects it from him, but Erwin doesn’t even look over at his passenger to confirm his thoughts. Levi doesn’t speak either, just slurps uncouthly on his soft drink. Even now, even in the midst of his fright Erwin thinks of how little he understands of the man…

…And how much he still wants to. But no, _no._ He can’t take the chance. Levi is too unpredictable to have any sort of contact with Erwin. Continuing this dalliance would be self-destructive. Erwin can see this clearly.

He speeds quietly through the back roads of Stohess, determined not be seen by anyone else until he is alone in his car. It’s a quarter to eleven when they pull up in front the Magnolia house. The lights are on in every room of the ground floor, and Erwin can hear a record blasting from inside. He doesn’t say anything as Levi gathers up his trash and exits the car, but Erwin is drawn to look over at him when he pauses by the door. 

Levi locks eyes with him, expression bored. “If it scares you so much, then don’t call me again.”

He slams the door shut, then hurries up to the wide porch, looking furtively from left to right even though there’s no one else around. Erwin watches him until the door opens. Levi doesn’t look back as he goes inside.

Erwin switches on the radio, then turns around and heads home.

* * *

** \- x - **

Erwin’s house is completely dark when he pulls into the driveway. He enters quietly, hanging up his jacket on the coatrack by the door. He knows Anka has left his supper in the refrigerator, but Erwin doesn’t have much of an appetite. It’s been a strange day, altogether—and Erwin is just grateful he’s finally home, where he’s back in control.

He heads directly upstairs, checks on his son, his wife, and finally the baby, tucked away in her little bassinet. All are quiet. Erwin revels in the silence as he undoes his tie and hangs it up in the closet, before moving to the dresser to empty his pockets. His hand closes over his wallet, and he stills as he comes to the realization that he hasn’t paid Levi tonight.

Or rather, Levi hadn’t asked for payment. They’d spent hours together, and Levi never once mentioned money at all. Erwin is puzzled. He unfolds his wallet and counts out the bills, finding the same amount he had that afternoon. 

Erwin thinks back on all of the looks Levi had given him that night. He thinks of Levi’s voice, the way he had sounded when he said to Erwin, “you’re lucky you’re so good looking.” Erwin hums in realization.

He sets his wallet down on the dresser. After studying it for a minute, Erwin heads towards the bathroom.

He’ll ask Levi about it, next time.


End file.
